What Can I Do as a Marketer Fresh Out of College?
Written By: Lia Wielick
Whenever someone asks what your major is, a common follow up question is usually “what do you plan on doing with your major?” I often find myself dreading this question, not only because it usually comes when I’m least expecting it, but because I honestly have no idea what I want to do with my marketing degree. One of the greatest things about a marketing degree is that it opens the door to so many careers that you may not have known existed. I’ve learned through my research both on Google, and through talking with people in different sectors in the marketing field that marketing is everywhere and everything. From the outside, marketing may look like annoying TV and social media ads, or a person trying to sell you a product, however, this is not the case. Marketing is so much more than that. It can be difficult to know which direction to take, or even where to look when applying for jobs as you finish college. This guide to post-college life and entry-level jobs is sure to give you a better idea of where to start!
In-House vs. Agency Life
One of the most important things to determine is whether you are interested in working at an Agency or In-House. These are two very different things, and this decision may affect what job titles you look for in your hunt for post-college employment. Before deciding that you only want to work at a huge corporation like Nike, it is important to understand the difference between the two and where job roles may differ.
In-House
Working in-house means that you are working within the company that you are marketing for. This means working only for one company, and all your marketing will be done solely for the company that employs you. You will be hired and trained within your company. You may work on one or more parts of marketing, however, oftentimes when working In-House, the role is more specified to one aspect or area of the marketing process. There is also no third party to manage your marketing efforts.
Agency
The agency life is much different than working In-House. This is a more fast-paced environment where you may have multiple job responsibilities or manage multiple accounts for various clients (companies). The life of working at an agency involves needing a third party to satisfy your marketing needs. The agencies work with various companies and depending on the size of the agency, the employee may have the opportunity to touch on multiple aspects of the marketing process.
Job Titles
Understanding the different types of jobs available to you is hard. Most students and/or recent grads are probably unsure of what types of jobs they are qualified for, which makes the search even more difficult. Entry-level job positions are not stated outright in job titles, and although we learn multiple different specialized subjects in marketing, some jobs may not only use knowledge from one of those specialized classes. Any type of job that includes the title “Junior” is probably a good place to start. Another place to start would be looking at the required experience for the job. A job requiring one to two years of experience may be another place to start. According to Investopedia, the market for someone in the marketing field is large but the competition is intense. Ensuring that you are equipped with skills to be able to show employers what you can do is sure to make you stand out amongst the crowd. One of the things that would be useful information would be the job titles associated with entry-level marketing positions. The American Marketing Association listed some of the top marketing job titles and responsibilities. The job titles are things like Marketing Assistant, Marketing Coordinator, Marketing Associate, Digital Marketing Manager, and Brand Ambassador. In the same article from the AMA, ZipRecruiter compiled a list of the top marketing jobs ranked by volume on its website. The graphic below includes the top 25 job titles compiled by Zip Recruiter. This list of jobs may not be solely entry-level positions, but it should give you a place to start when looking for jobs and job titles that marketers can acquire post-graduation.
Conclusion
Life post-college can be tough, but through shared knowledge and experiences, it can be much easier. Hopefully, this blog gives you a better understanding of what types of things you can be on the lookout for when looking for an entry-level job. Understanding the spectrum and availability of jobs that can be acquired and are available to you as a new marketer, will help to alleviate the pain and uncertainty of not knowing what to look for when entering the job market.
Facebook: Whenever people ask what your plans are for your “post-college” life, the question can bring about confusion, fear, and anxiety. This blog should give you a better working knowledge of things to look for when deciding on what type of job you may want after college.
Instagram: Whenever people ask what your plans are for your “post-college” life, the question can bring about confusion, fear, and anxiety. This blog should give you a better working knowledge of things to look for when deciding on what type of job you may want after college.
LinkedIn: Whenever people ask what your plans are for your “post-college” life, the question can bring about confusion, fear, and anxiety. This blog should give you a better working knowledge of things to look for when deciding on what type of job you may want after college.